338 



The Grape CuUurist. 



EDITOES' LETTER BOX. 



Wkstchesteu Co., N.Y., Si'i)tenibfr 21, 18Gi>. 



Mr. Geo. Hdsmann : 



Dear Sir : Yours of September 10th 

 came duly. We observe you class the 

 Eumelau as a tender-leaved variety. 

 We were full}' aware you have not been 

 on friendly terms with Dr. Grant, or the 

 Doctor with yourself, but we cannot^ 

 understand why the fact that Dr. Grant 

 has had to do with a grape, should con- 

 demn it, either for Missouri or any other 

 State. We have the Concord and Hart- 

 ford, and find the Eumelan as vigorous 

 and hardy as either, while the grape 

 far surpasses either in quality. The 

 Eumelan grew side b}' side with the 

 Hartford and Concord for fifteen or 

 twenty years before it was purchased 

 here, and such men as P. Barry, of 

 Rochester, and S. B. Parsons, of Flush- 

 ing, and others, formed high opinion of 

 its merits, and were trying to negotiate 

 for it. Because it was finally purchased 

 by Dr. Grant at SI, GOO, some pro- 

 nounce '•humbug" at once. 



Now, friend Husmann, this is entirely 

 unjust to yourselves, for theEumelan 

 may yet be as valuable West as at the 

 East, and here it has borne the trial 

 well, and is considered a most valuable 

 variety, far surpassing any other black 

 grapes ever introduced here. It suc- 

 ceeds well in many places west of us, 

 and we wish you would personally give 

 it an impartial trial, and if you ever 

 come East, come and see the Eumelan 

 on our grounds. 



Hoping to hear further from you, we 

 are yours very respectfully, 



HaSBROUCK & BUSHNELL. 



[We give the correspondence about 



the Eumelan, which is now pushed 

 forward Avith so much vigor bj^ many, 

 because we wish to deal fairly with 

 every one. We never allow private 

 feelings to influence our opinion of 

 any grape, and Avould as gladly wel- 

 come a grape originated or brought 

 forward by Dr. Grant, if it was other- 

 wise of true merit, as any other; 

 and are entirely willing to test the Eu- 

 melan fully and fairly. 



We cannot admit, however, that the 

 Eumelan has been growing side by 

 side with the Hartford and Concord 

 for fifteen or twenty years, as they 

 have not been before the public for so 

 long a time. We doubt whether the 

 original vine of the Concord, growni 

 by Mr. Bull, is over fifteen years old. 



We " do not pronounce humbug " 

 because Dr. Grant purchased the stock 

 of the Eumelan for $1,600, but we 

 call it a humbug, if, because the vine 

 has floui-ished Avell in that neighbor- 

 hood, flaming advertisements are sent 

 out, ' proclaiming its success in all 

 parts of the Union, before it has been 

 fully and fairly tried there. The grape 

 growing public has had enough of 

 this ; it is time this pi'actice Avas stop- 

 ped, and Ave shall tr}^ to do our share 

 in abolishing it. We haA^e no personal 

 antipathies or ^ likings to gratify in 

 this matter, but shall treat all alike, 

 Avithout fear or favor, and hope to do 

 our readers a favor thereby. 



Our experience Avith the AValter 

 this summer, Avill be found in '^Po- 

 port on Grapes," in this number. — 

 Editor.] 



